D’Alleva Named UConn Provost, First Woman To Hold Position

STORRS, CT — Anne D'Alleva, who is being hailed as a "creative and collaborative leader" while serving as the University of Connecticut's interim provost since the spring, has been named to the position on a permanent basis.

D’Alleva, who previously was the dean of the School of Fine Arts (since 2015) and a UConn faculty member since 1999, becomes provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, effective Thursday.

She is the first woman to hold the role in the University’s history.

UConn President Radenka Maric announced D’Alleva’s appointment Tuesday, saying her experience with D’Alleva and feedback she has received from deans, University Senate members, Board of Trustees members, student leaders, and administrators all have been strongly positive.

"What I heard consistently was a deep respect for Anne as a leader, that she brings a sense of stability, and has managed to move seamlessly into the role of provost with grace and skill," Maric said while adding she was especially moved by a letter of support signed by the deans of UConn's schools and colleges, along with statements of support from many other people and groups throughout the campus.

D’Alleva became interim provost in May with the departure of previous Provost Carl Lejuez. As provost, she leads UConn's "academic enterprise" and "several collaborations" across disciplines, schools, and colleges. She is also leading the university's "succession planning" in academic areas and a "strategic initiative to help develop talent from within," Maric said.

D’Alleva said she was honored to serve as provost and grateful for the trust that Maric and the Board of Trustees have placed in her.

"Over the past few months, I've gained fresh insight into the many strengths of our university community and especially appreciate the talent, dedication, and caring of our faculty, students, and staff," she said.
"My goal as provost is to support and enhance those strengths as we work together to educate our students for an interconnected, diverse, and rapidly changing world; expand scholarship and research across the disciplines; and serve the state and nation by addressing our most pressing problems, from health disparities to climate change. UConn makes a difference – and with President Maric's exceptional leadership, our impact will only grow."

D’Alleva joined UConn in fall 1999 as a joint appointment in the programs on art history and women's, gender, and sexuality studies. Since then, she has served in many institutional leadership roles, including as a member of the University’s Academic Vision committee.

Prior to being named dean of the School of Fine Arts in 2015, she served as the school’s associate dean and also has been head of the Art & Art History Department.

She received her B.A in art history from Harvard University, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in art history from Columbia University with a graduate certificate in feminist theory. Before joining UConn, she completed postdoctoral fellowships at Australian National University and through the Getty Foundation.

Her books Fundamentals of Art History (3rd ed., 2021) and Methods and Theories of Art History (3rd ed., 2021) have been published in multiple languages worldwide.

More information is available on UConn Today, including quotes and details of D’Alleva’s background.